Since last winter went so swimmingly, let's try it again! TFS has very graciously opened her home in the west San Fernando Valley to me again. This time her daughter AS (and dog and cat) are there too. Two women + two dogs + two cats = not my usual solitary winter again. Huzzah! Place name links like Los Angeles, CA go to Wikipedia. Place name links like Los Angeles use a local tourism or government website.
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| 2014.01.23 |
Home, Home on the Range |
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With the weather being stupidly good, and my golf game being stupidly bad, and TFS learning, I and we have been visiting driving ranges. Unlike at home, there are a variety of range layouts and bucket-delivery methods. Prices are around $10 for a large bucket of 90-120 balls, usually dispensed from a machine that accepts cash, tokens, pre-valued cards, or a PIN.
| Camarillo Springs Golf Course is a public course in Camarillo with a small range that we played off the (un-mowed for a few days) grass.
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Griffith Golf Complex is a municipal course in Griffith Park . This is the only double-level range we've been to. The range is a paved lot covered with matting so balls really carry.
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| The Islands Golf Center is a unique public course in Anaheim . Normally one wants to avoid landing in the water while golfing. However, at Islands it's just the opposite: the field is a water reservoir and the balls are formulated to float. You get a true sense of your distance in the air because, of course, the balls can't run. No back-spin on wedge shots either. Just a rather satisfying sploosh, or a clunk if you hit one of the solid targets. The price is the best we've found: $7.50 for a large bucket, and the balls are always clean. |
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ball retrieval by boat | |
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this boat is a target |
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Lost Canyons Golf Club is a public course in Simi Valley designed by Peter Dye in consultation with Fred Couples. It's become one of of favourite ranges because it's very peaceful, quite scenic, and we usually have the place to ourselves. Unfortunately the reason for the latter is that the place has deteriorated over the years and is in a holding pattern until it's redeveloped into a private course in the midst of a gated residential development. Still, it's been worth the extra drive and hopefully it'll remain open until I leave. [2014-02-05 update: They've started playing hits of the '80s on tinny speakers over the practice putting greens and onto the range, totally destrying the peacefulness of the place, its only redeeming feature really. Buh-bye Lost Canyons...]
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Some shots from TFS with a lovely gold tone in the light of the setting sun. January 10, 4-4:30pm.
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sans finger :) | | |
Saticoy Regional Golf Course is a public course in Saticoy .
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Simi Hills Golf Course is a public course in Simi Valley, CA . It's a scenic place, though rather small and on the lower end of size for a large bucket. Most notable are deer that graze about 200 yards out, impervious to whatever balls that land among them. We have been no threat to them though. :) |
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Studio City Golf Range is a public course in Studio City . This place has the best deal on balls, and is a nice little range with some buckets for targets, nice and sunny.
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| Tom Barber Golf Center is a practice range outside Simi Valley. It's a large area with lots of stalls and targets including several greens. The whole area is artificial turf. This is the first range we've seen with automatic ball tees. Just load the hopper with balls and with every hit off the tee or mat a new ball is teed up. Handy! Plus this place has the best deal of 3 buckets for the price of 2 on Mondays. |
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Van Nuys Golf Course is a public course in Van Nuys, across the street from the Van Nuys Airport , one of the busiest general aviation airports in the world. The range is usually under the landing approach, and about every 2 minutes a corporate jet flies overhead. Van Nuys is also home to a number of WW2-vintage planes and a few times there have been German and American planes buzzing overhead at times. It's the closest range and so one we visit the most.
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River Ridge Golf Club is a course in Oxnard, CA . The range there is rather odd, with lots of lumpy terrain that obscures where your balls land. Maybe we'll visit again so I can get pictures.
Sepulveda Golf Complex is a LA municipal course. The range is most notable for the fact that it's all dirt. Not very nice and not worth a repeat visit. |
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